1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to plant containers capable of growing plants by hydroponic means. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using an inert growing medium saturated with plant nutrient solution, where soil is not required. The plant's roots attach to or root in the inert growing medium and the plant uses the growing medium as it would use soil, to absorb nutrients required by the plant to grow and for mechanical support to hold the plant upright.
The basic elements of a hydroponic plant container are: a nutrient solution reservoir filled with a nutrient solution and a growing medium container filled with a growing medium. Nutrient solution is periodically caused to flow through the growing medium or otherwise caused to saturate the growing medium. Firmly rooted therein, the plant's roots absorb the nutrient solution and use it in the growing process of the plant.
Plants produce their own food by absorbing carbon dioxide, water, and light to produce sugars which are used by the plant to grow. This process is called photosynthesis.
In addition to sugars, plants also require mineral nutrients in order to grow. The required mineral nutrients are absorbed by the plant through its roots. It is these mineral nutrients that are the nutrients in the plant nutrient solution of a hydroponic plant container. The nutrient solution is a water based solution where the water solvent also serves as water for photosynthesis.
It has been determined that a plant's growth increases in direct proportion to: a corresponding increase in photosynthesis (light, water and carbon dioxide) and a corresponding increase in absorption of mineral nutrient by the plant's roots. Further, it has been determined that increased dissolved oxygen levels on the plant's roots, in the growing medium, and in the nutrient solution each help cause the plant to absorb mineral nutrients and absorb water faster or to absorb mineral nutrients and water at an increased rate over those without increased dissolved oxygen levels in the growing medium and/or nutrient solution.
This invention pertains to a hydroponic plant container that provides increased dissolved oxygen levels in the growing medium and on the plant's roots from increased dissolved oxygen levels in the nutrient solution in order to facilitate a substantial increase in the absorption rate of mineral nutrients and water by the plant's roots, thereby causing a corresponding increase in the rate of plant growth.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many hydroponic plant containers in the prior art and a portion of such also address the issue of increased dissolved oxygen content in the growing medium and/or in the nutrient solution. However, none of the prior art addresses these issues through the use of continuous direct air injection into the bottom of the nutrient solution reservoir using a special “hydro valve assembly” that continuously injects air into the bottom of the nutrient solution reservoir, without using an air pump, and only using the hydraulic motion of the nutrient solution in the reservoir caused by a low-power water pump and the natural force from the Earth's Coriolis effect.
This invention provides a hydroponic plant container with a reservoir of “highly oxygenated” nutrient solution that is the result of continuous direct air injection into the bottom of the nutrient solution reservoir along with continuous Coriolis effect mixing. The highly oxygenated nutrient solution is used to provide a deep water culture for the lower section of the plant roots, to saturate the middle section of the plant roots with fine droplets of the highly oxygenated nutrient solution, and to saturate the growing media and the upper section of the plants roots with a continuous drip of the highly oxygenated nutrient solution.